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Three Sounders Called in to USA U-23 in Seattle

Two former and one current player for the Seattle Sounders Women participated in the USA U-23 Women’s National Team summer training camp held in Seattle in July. Goalkeeper Megan Kufeld from the University of Washington has been a part of the Sounders for the past three years and continues to feature with youth national teams. Defender Jaelene Hinkle from Texas Tech University and midfielder Rachel Mercik from UC Berkeley both played for the Sounders during the 2013 W-League season.

The entire roster was made up of current collegiate players or players who played their senior seasons last fall. The roster included four players from defending NCAA champions UCLA, including Samantha Mewis, who made her full WNT debut at the Algarve Cup last March. Midfielder Sarah Killion and forward Katie Stengel (who has completed her college eligibility and will play in Germany with Bayern Munich this coming season) have also trained with the senior side this year.

Also on the roster is 2013 MAC Hermann Trophy finalist Abby Dahlkemper of UCLA who finished behind winner Morgan Brian and defender Crystal Dunn, who are both now regulars on U.S. WNT head coach Jill Ellis’ squad.

Brian, who has seen the majority of her National Team action this year with the senior side, was also named to the U-23 roster. She is up to 11 caps with U.S. head coach Jill Ellis’ squad while scoring two goals. Brian has started all eight games she has played for the full U.S. Women’s National Team this year.

Oregon defender Bri Pugh is the older sister of U-20 WNT midfielder Mallory Pugh, who trained with the U-20s in Seattle in an event that ran concurrently with the U-23 camp.